After discussing a statement made by Thurgood Marshall, students consider each piece of the comment and create a K-W-L chart to begin an investigation with other resources.
Thurgood Marshall was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1967.
Constitution Day is observed today in the U.S.
Students explore an annotated online version of the Constitution before sharing what they learned about one aspect of the document through the Trading Card interactive.
Celebrate Mandela Day today.
After reading Kadir Nelson's Nelson Mandela, students explore the Mandela Day website before using an online tool to start working on a service project of their own.
Frederick Douglass began publication of The North Star today in 1847.
Students read and discuss an editorial written by Frederick Douglass and then write the opening editorial for a contemporary publication devoted to a social cause important to them.
César Chávez was born on this day in 1927.
Students work in small groups to research a civil rights leader and do a creative writing piece, followed by a short story, with their group.
Scotland Yard was established this day in 1829.
Students explore the resources on the Scotland Yard website and compare the advice given to London's citizens to the advice available from the local police department.
Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, was integrated in 1957.
After viewing some footage from the actual event, students jot down thoughts and feelings of the Little Rock Nine. Students then write a bio-poem that might have been written by one of these students on this historic day.
Patriot Day is celebrated today on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 2001.
Students write about the name "Patriot Day" and how it marks the anniversary of a huge disaster. An alternative assignment could be to ask students to record their reflections about 9/11.
The tropical storm that became Katrina formed over the Bahamas in 2005.
As a class, students explore weather-related and other natural disasters that their geographical area is prone to and review emergency preparedness and procedures.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.
Students explore the "I Have a Dream" Foundation's website and brainstorm ways they can help themselves or others at their school achieve their educational dreams.
Montgomery Ward published the first mail-order catalog in 1872.
Students explore how and why catalogs have changed over the years and compare their findings about printed catalogs with online catalogs.
In 1870, the U.S. Transcontinental Railroad was completed.
Students access the National Park Service website and look at the webpage "The Last Spikes." Students explore different accounts of what happened as the railroad neared completion and discuss the nature of ceremonies.
The first picture of Earth was taken by the U.S. satellite Explorer VI in 1959.
After students view the first picture from the Explorer VI Satellite, they discuss the differences between this first image and the images of the earth that we typically see today.
On this day in 1800, Congress approved the purchase of books to start the Library of Congress.
Students practice and refine research skills by visiting the Library of Congress website and conducting a research project.